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Do You Need an Alarm Permit in Boise? False Alarm Fees and Rules
Boise doesn't require an alarm permit, but the city may charge a service fee when police respond to false alarms and find no emergency: the first false alarm each calendar year is free, then the current police fees are $50 for the 2nd, $100 for the 3rd and $200 for the 4th and each one after, after written notice that you can contest. Your monitoring company must make two calls within five minutes, at least one to someone off the property, before asking police to respond.[1,2,3,4]
Boise alarm rules at a glance
| Where these rules apply | Not confirmed. These rules apply inside Boise city limits. Other Ada County cities (Meridian, Eagle, Garden City, Kuna, Star) and unincorporated Ada County have their own rules. |
|---|---|
| Which alarms are covered | No permit is needed. Boise's false-alarm rules apply to anyone who uses an alarm system meant to bring a police response; more than one false alarm in a calendar year makes it a 'public nuisance alarm' with a service fee for each one after the first.[2] |
| Fee exemptions | Alarms caused by storms, earthquakes or other events the police alarm officer finds were clearly beyond your control don't count as false alarms. Public and private K-12 schools get the 2nd false alarm fee waived. No senior or low-income waivers are listed.[1,2] |
| Free false alarms | 1 in each calendar year[1,2] |
| Runs the program | Boise Police Department[1] |
False alarm fees in Boise
False alarms are counted over each calendar year[1]. Each fee below is charged per false alarm.
Residential false alarms
If false alarms keep happening: Not confirmed. We didn't find a rule letting Boise police stop responding after repeated false alarms. More than one false alarm in a calendar year makes the alarm a 'public nuisance alarm', and the city may then charge a service fee for each false alarm after the first. Police must send you written notice; you can ask for a review within 10 days of receiving it and then appeal to the City Council. Fees are due within 15 days of the notice of assessment.[2]
Good to know
- Self-installed and self-monitored systems: Boise has no separate rule for self-installed or self-monitored systems. Its alarm rules cover any alarm designed to bring a police response, including audible alarms that sound on the property and proprietor alarms, and the user duties apply to every alarm user: keep the system in good working order, make sure everyone who uses it is trained and allowed to cancel accidental alarms, and silence an activated alarm within 15 minutes at a home (30 minutes at a business). The two-call verification duty applies to monitoring companies.[1,4]
- Panic and hold-up alarms: Panic, hold-up, duress and robbery alarms are covered by the same false-alarm rules and police fees. Installers may not put in single-press, non-recessed hold-up buttons or program new 'one plus' duress codes. Monitoring companies can still accept one-plus duress signals from systems programmed before the rule, but the installer must remove that feature when the system is taken over or converted, or when you ask for an inspection or change to the system.[1,4]
- Before police are sent: Boise does not require video or in-person verification, but your monitoring company must make two calls (at least one to a phone off the property) within 5 minutes before asking police to respond.[4]
- Not sure which rules apply to your address?: Not confirmed. We did not find an official address lookup for Boise's alarm rules.
Business and other non-residential alarms
Avoiding false alarms
- Make sure everyone who has a code knows how to disarm the system and cancel an alarm.
- Keep your monitoring company's contact list up to date so they can reach someone quickly.
- Let your monitoring company know before guests, contractors or pet sitters use the house.
- Check that doors and windows are fully closed before you arm the system.
- Replace low sensor batteries promptly.
Thinking about a professionally installed, monitored system? See how SafeStreets installation works.
SafeStreets serves this area: home security in Boise.
Sources
- Boise City Council (American Legal Publishing code library), 5-10-2: Definitions — (1952 Code § 6-15-02). Boise City Code 5-10-2. codelibrary.amlegal.com. Checked October 28, 2026.
- Boise City Council (American Legal Publishing code library), Boise City Code 5-10-4 to 5-10-8 (False Security Alarms) — 5-10-5B amd. 2019 Code. 5-10-4 Responsibilities of alarm users; 5-10-5 Public nuisance alarm; 5-10-6 Compliance. codelibrary.amlegal.com. Checked October 28, 2026.
- City of Boise, City of Boise Fee and Fine Schedule (Boise OpenBook data feed, FY 27 amounts) — FY 27 fee amounts (dataset modified 2026-10-01). False Alarms - Police rows. cityofboise.openbook.questica.com. Checked October 28, 2026.
- Boise City Council (American Legal Publishing code library), Boise City Code 5-10-3: Duties of Alarm Installers and Monitoring Companies (Ch. 10 False Security Alarms) — 5-10-3B amd. 2019 Code. Title 5 Ch. 10; text of 5-10-1 to 5-10-3 rendered, 5-10-4 to 5-10-8 did not load. codelibrary.amlegal.com. Checked October 28, 2026.
Updates
- October 28, 2026 — first published from official sources.